diff --git a/src/process/qgsprocess.cpp b/src/process/qgsprocess.cpp
index 1271e49d1f8..e0a885ae186 100644
--- a/src/process/qgsprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/process/qgsprocess.cpp
@@ -899,6 +899,7 @@ int QgsProcessingExec::execute( const QString &id, const QVariantMap &params, co
       std::cerr << QStringLiteral( "Could not load the QGIS project \"%1\"\n" ).arg( projectPath ).toLocal8Bit().constData();
       return 1;
     }
+    QgsProject::setInstance( project.get() );
   }
 
   if ( !useJson )